Published Work

Growing up, I’d tried every sport in the book, but I could never stick with any of them—partially as a result of my inevitable embarrassment when kids half my age would smoke me in tennis matches or volleyball games. I dreaded gym class… or anything involving sneakers, really. In contrast to my lack of skill on the court or field, my father has always been able to do anything athletic he sets his mind to.

It’s the pill that changed history for women, opening up unprecedented opportunities to build a life unrestricted to marriage and motherhood. Since its launch in the early 1960s, the birth control pill has expanded our understanding of what is possible in modern relationships. But what about options for men?

Midday Show: Sarah Ellis and Logan Nickels discuss the challenges of bringing male birth control to the market and the professionals working to shift cultural attitudes towards contraception and masculinity.

I’m sitting on my yoga mat, sandwiched between two middle-aged men in business suits. The room glows softly with the haze of low fluorescent lighting, and the couple behind me is chatting animatedly about their workweek. I swallow and try to distract myself with a warm-up. You have to look totally unbothered, I tell myself. It’s worse if people notice that you’re nervous. What I’m trying so hard to forget is that in a matter of minutes, I’m going to see these people naked. Every single one of them.

Some days, my body doesn’t feel fully my own; it feels like it belongs to our culture, which has endless things to say about its value, how it’s never quite small enough or curvy enough, never capable of being what it “should” be. I run because it feels like the only thing that makes sense. It feels like taking back my power in a world that says, “You exist to be looked at and desired and wanted by someone else.” I run because my muscles, my breath—even my soul cries out for it. Feeling strong as a woman allows me to believe, for a moment, that I don’t have to fear.

Can’t sleep? You’re not alone—around one in three people suffer from some form of insomnia. If you find yourself tossing and turning at night, it’s tempting to reach for a sleep aid to help you get that much-needed shut-eye. And there are tons of options on the market,but are they safe for long-term use? And can your body develop a tolerance to them?

Whether you’re training for your first 5K or your zillionth marathon, one thing is undeniable: Your go-to running playlist is about to get really old, really fast. Don’t get me wrong—I love a good Justin Timberlake bop as much as the next girl. But after weeks of pounding the pavement to “Can’t Stop the Feeling” on repeat, I’m totally burned out.

If you’re reading this, odds are you had caffeine this morning (or maybe you’re consuming it right now). The most widely used psychoactive stimulant in the world, caffeine is present in everything from coffee and tea to soda and chocolate. But if you’ve ever felt that jittery feeling that comes from downing one too many shots of espresso, you may not be surprised to learn that it’s possible to overdo it.

Is there a difference between living and being truly alive? For Yael Shy, the answer lies in meditation. Shy struggled with crippling anxiety before signing up for a silent retreat that turned her world upside down. After immersing herself in the Zen Buddhist tradition of meditation, she discovered the ways mindfulness could help young people stay present and connected.

As if we needed one more reason to question everything, getting in “proposal shape” is apparently the next big thing in fitness. Yep, more and more people are working out specifically to prepare for their proposal—and the inevitable engagement photos. We fully support healthy, sustainable lifestyle changes, but we don’t love the idea that anyone feels like they have to look a certain way in order for their proposal to be successful.

Peter DeVito is “so f*cking sick and tired of the Photoshop.” The 20-year-old photographer is making waves for his unretouched portraits that normalize and even celebrate acne. “Having acne is normal and doesn’t make you any less of a person,” DeVito says. He’s right, so it’s time to embrace natural beauty and stop thinking about pimples as imperfections. Love the skin you’re in—scars, bumps, and all.

Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Hunter McGrady has a bold message for critics: There is no “wrong” body type, only wrong ways to talk about beauty standards. The 5’11”, size-16 model was just chosen to appear in this year’s SI swimsuit issue, and she’s determined to prove women of every size, weight, and ethnicity can be powerful and sexy.

Ah, coffee. For many of us, that morning cup of joe is as essential to survival as oxygen. A full 64 percent of Americans drink at least one cup of coffee per day… and for many people, it’s far more than that. So it’s no surprise California residents aren’t loving the news that their coffee might start coming with a warning label.

Between the classes, extracurriculars, and social obligations I juggled as a 20-year-old—plus the pressure I put on myself to succeed at all of them—it’s a wonder I ever made it to graduation. Perfectionism feels like it’s ingrained in my DNA, and apparently, I’m not the only one.

This week Aerie announced its newest spokeswomen, and every single one of them is major #girlboss status. Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman, actress and activist Yara Shahidi, and singer-songwriter Rachel Platten join model Iskra Lawrence as “role models” for Aerie’s spring line. This campaign is about more than body diversity—it’s about celebrating a diversity of strength as well.

A clear complexion and an active lifestyle don’t always go hand in hand. If you love to exercise, you know how much workout-induced breakouts and redness can kill your post-sweat vibe. But having a dedicated skin care regimen can go a long way toward making you feel your best, and sometimes the key is finding products that are made to keep up with your busy schedule.

Breakfast can be a bit tricky for our plant-based friends out there. While we love a good overnight oatmeal or smoothie recipe as much as the next person, they can both get a little boring when you’re eating them every single day. And on busy mornings when you don’t have time to dry your hair—let alone cook a full meal—healthy eating can feel like your last priority.

Creamy sauces and dips are the definition of comfort food. They’re guaranteed crowd-pleasers at parties, family dinners, or when you’re just lounging around in your pajamas eating snacks. But when you’re vegan, the word “creamy” is a bit trickier since you’re no longer eating… well, cream.

In theory, workouts you can do from the comfort of your own living room—where there’s no one to judge your form or give you the side-eye when you can’t figure out how to work the chest press machine—are great. But in practice, I’m really not that good at working out alone.

A giant bag of spinach is practically a grocery store staple. It’s one of those things that always seems like a practical choice at the time, and you feel like a picture of health with all those leafy greens sitting in your cart. Then you get it home, use the spinach in a salad here and there, and before you know it, the rest is all wilted and just plain gross. How on earth are you supposed to use up the bag before that happens?

Breakfast might be the most important meal of the day, but it’s also undoubtedly the most hectic. Even if you had grand plans of waking up early to prepare the perfect Instagram-worthy spread of avocado toast, chances are things didn’t pan out quite that smoothly. The next thing you know, you’re running out the door and fishing for that protein bar you stashed in the bottom of your gym bag last week. So much for a relaxing morning.

When you’re living the keto life, it can start to feel like you’re surviving primarily on various types of meat and cheese. While that’s not always a bad thing, healthy fats and proteins taste a lot more satisfying when paired with a crunchy cracker. And conventional crackers aren’t exactly low-carb.

The worst part of cooking at home is obviously the cleanup. Following a recipe seems easy enough… until you realize you need to pull out every pan in your kitchen to make it happen. Before you know it, the sink is piled high with dishes. You’ve already put in all this work and now you have to clean up the mess you made doing it?!